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McKendree Speech and Debate Ends Regular Season with 30 Awards

Preparing for Nationals Next Month

(LEBANON, Ill., February 18, 2015) — The McKendree University speech and debate team
ended its regular season in fine fashion by taking home 30 awards, including four
first place finishes, at three tournaments over the last two weekends.

“This team is ready for nationals,” said Joe Blasdel, coach. “The quality and amount
of work put in by our students and coaches is impressive and I cannot wait to see
how we compete at nationals next month.”

Thirteen colleges and universities, including the University of Alabama, Western Kentucky
and Belmont, attended the Jackson Purchase Swing at Murray State University on Feb.
7-8. Representing McKendree were senior Josh Fleming and first-years Emeri Farnam,
Briar North and Hannah Zickefoose. At the first half, North won fourth place in informative
speaking and sixth in editorial impromptu. Farnam finished fifth in persuasion, while
Fleming took sixth in programmed oral interpretation. The duo of Farnam and Zickefoose
won third place. McKendree took fourth place in small entry sweepstakes.

At the second half, Zickefoose won first place in after dinner speaking and sixth
place in programmed oral interpretation. North finished first in editorial impromptu
and sixth in radio. Farnam took seventh place in persuasion, while the duo of Farnam
and Zickefoose were sixth.

McKendree was among 13 colleges and universities, including Purdue University, Texas
Tech and Southern Illinois University, competing at the Warm-up at Loyola University
on Feb. 13-15. Participating were sophomores Mary Makarishcheva and Rodney McBride
and first-years Alex Baldwin and Gage Simmons. The team of Makarishcheva and McBride
posted a 6-2 record in prelims. After defeating Loyola University in octofinals, they
lost to William Jewell College in quarterfinals, finishing fifth. Baldwin and Simmons
went 5-3, losing to Wheaton College in octofinals to finish ninth. Simmons was recognized
as the 14th place speaker.

Fifteen colleges and universities, including Truman State, the University of Missouri,
and Western Kentucky attended the Missouri State Tournament at Crowder College on
Feb. 14. Representing McKendree were seniors Rebecca Blake, Josh Fleming, and Spencer
Marcum, sophomore Katie Reining, and first-year Hannah Zickefoose. Zickefoose won
first place and top novice in programmed oral interpretation, as well as top novice
in after dinner speaking. Marcum finished third in both programmed oral interpretation
and poetry, as well as fifth in both prose and drama. Blake took fourth in drama and
sixth in after dinner speaking. Reining finished sixth in communication analysis,
while Fleming took sixth in programmed oral interpretation. The duo of Blake and Marcum
won first place (taking straight 1’s in finals), while the duo of Blake and Fleming
took sixth place. Marcum also finished second in individual sweepstakes. McKendree
University was fourth in individual events sweepstakes.

McKendree will compete at national tournaments next month. Two McKendree debate teams
have qualified for the prestigious National Parliamentary Tournament of Excellence
– the sophomore team of Mary Makarishcheva and Rodney McBride, as well as first-year
team of Alex Baldwin and Gage Simmons. Four McKendree individual events competitors
have qualified for the American Forensic Association’s National Individual Events
Tournament: Spencer Marcum (duo, prose, poetry, drama, and programmed oral interpretation),
Josh Fleming (drama and programmed oral interpretation), Rebecca Blake (duo) and Katie
Reining (communication analysis and informative speaking).